Life is an Ultra-Marathon

1 Sep 2018 : Last 15 days somehow I did not feel like writing with a ball point pen. I was searching all my god forsaken pens and found my old parker fountain pen. Somehow the thought passed my mind that I needed to gift myself a good fountain pen.

Ordered the same on Amazon (truly technology has changed our lives, thanks Jeff that I get the same goods at cheaper price delivered at home). 1 sep 2018 I got my new cherished pen. I had the happiness of a child and the first lines I wrote were – Life is an Ultra-Marathon.

However somehow felt that I should express what this statement meant for me. This is an original article from the heart (than the mind) including the picture (with my new pen :-) )

Marathon is like life. It tests. It is unforgiving, brutal and those who finish the crossing line are high on life.

Marathon running has made be poetic, spiritual, extremely disciplined (food, exercise, sleep, rest attitude). Marathon running has taught me how to lead life. I love the subject of reverse aging.

The awakening started when I was 40 years. And I thank God that it happened on one of the worst days of my life (18 July 2012). It was so worst that the only way was up.

A full marathon is 42 kms. I was 40 years. I started wondering if I could live healthy and happy going forward. Each day, each moment was miserable at that point of time. Life seemed worthless, great thoughts, zero execution. It seemed I could never do anything well. I became irritable and a socially sad character.

I truly wondered that if I ever lived still 60 years, i.e. another 20 years which mean 7300 more days or 1,75,200 hrs or 1,05,12,000 min or 63,07,20,000 sec, would it be miserable or blissful.

The important life question staring at me was i.e. am I going to live those 63,07,20,000 seconds in misery or 63,07,20,000 of blissfulness ? (Assuming I lived till 60 years)

The answer was surely the later. That day was point of no return. I had no choice but to fix myself

Started training for Marathons which meant fixing all the aspects of life i.e. exercise, sleep, diet strength training, hydration etc. Completed 21 km (half marathons) to 42 km (full marathons) and even one 50 km on the trail (Ultra-marathon)

It started to fix my Pancha (five) Kosha (sheath) to begin with Annamaya Kosha (the food and material body). According to yogic physiology, the human framework is comprised of 5 bodies or sheaths, which account for the different aspects or dimension of human existence. The 5 sheaths are:

1)     Annamaya Kosha : The food or material body

2)     Manomaya Kosha : The mental body

3)     Pranmaya Kosha : The bio-plasmic or vital energy body

4)     Vijnanmaya Kosha : The psychic Higher mental body

5)     Ananadamaya Kosha : The transcendental or bliss body      

I had to fix myself at each level and that started the journey of seeking i.e. what each of these words meant. Do I understand the science behind it and once known what am I doing about it. Is it hollow gyan (knowledge) or genuine practice and implementation? Now I understand and practice Ashtanga Yoga.

The process of knowing oneself was like peeling an onion, only this time it was tears of joy and happiness and not tears of regret. From being miserable, I started being thankful that I was born a human being with all the faculties intact. Simply got amazed with the complexity of the human being starting from the gross to the fine.

Now I desire to live a 100 years and run like Fauja Singh at the age of 104.

BTW, any run beyond a 42 Km is an Ultra-Marathon.

Hence I want to live and run for > 100 years running greater distances > 42 Km with the purpose of running for kids with a different ability (not disability) i.e. deaf, blind, deafblind etc. This purpose energies my consciousness which is “Turiyam” the 4th Element.

What is “Turiyam”? Wait for the next article.

Truly Life is an Ultra-Marathon. I believe and practice this real-time. It has been a rewarding journey last 6 years of Self Awakening and Transformation. Also now I inspire others on that journey.

God Bless !!